Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Personal Info: Grab and Go

In a panic situation, which happens around my house quite often, actually, people lose their wits. The extra adrenaline produced by the human body at such a moment causes confusion and the sense of events happening in slow motion.

It can even cause some of the same symptoms as a heart attack.

Can you imagine the level of adrenaline in your body if you suddenly got news of a dangerous chemical spill in your area or of a wildfire that had taken an abrupt turn toward your neighborhood?

Officials tell you to evacuate now.

Where on earth do you start??

Being prepared beforehand will calm your nerves and give you focus. A Grab-and-Go Binder is a vital part of your Family Preparedness Plan, and is one of the first things you should put together. This binder will contain all of the most pertinent information in one place for any type emergency.

You can be at least one jump ahead of all that adrenaline because you’ll have your important documents all together in one place. It may take some time to gather all the records you need, but start now with what you have. In my opinion, “prepping” is no time to be a perfectionist. Do what you can, when you can, and you’ll be far more prepared than the average person.

For this project you’ll need a 1-2″ three-ring binder, a set of tabbed dividers, and a copy machine. A box of plastic page protectors will keep your documents clean and unwrinkled. Your binder will be unique to your family, but here are some suggestions to get you started.

Financial Documents:1. copies of the fronts and backs of debit/credit cards2. copies of house and car titles3. copy of your will4. names, addresses and phone numbers of all our banks5. other important documents related to employment and/or a family business6. copies of your insurance policies (life, health, auto, homeowners, etc.)

Personal Documents:1. names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of relatives and close friends2. include copies of:* marriage license* birth certificates* drivers licenses* CCW permits* pet vaccine records3. a list of firearm serial numbers4. legal documents pertaining to child custody matters5. recent photos of each family member and each pet6. color photos of your house and each room in the house7. photos of anything of particular value8. passports — put them in a plastic page protector and seal the top with tape

Medical Documents:1. copy of health insurance cards2. a list of blood types for each family member3. names, addresses and phone numbers of all doctors4. medical histories of each family member5. immunization records

With your finished Grab-and-Go Binder, you’ll have the peace of mind knowing that your family can focus on a quick bug-out, without trying to retrieve important family records.

What’s in your Binder? I’d love to hear of anything unique to your family that you included!

Two of my readers offered excellent tips for the Grab-and-Go Binder. Squantos suggests having more than one copy of the Binder. Keep one copy in a home safe or fireproof lock box. To keep it waterproof, double-bag it in two Zip-Loc style bags or use a SEAL bag for safekeeping.

A second copy of your binder should be kept in a safe deposit box in a location at least 50 miles from your home. I think this is a great idea if you find yourself unable to return home to get your hard copy. Additionally, consider electronic storage of your information on something like a USB Fob (can keep it on a keychain or hang around your neck, example here), a mini disk or other storage device. Thanks, Squantos!

Reader Apple Pan Dowdy reminded me of the need for good maps! I can’t tell you how many times we have been halfway to Disneyland only to realize we don’t have any road maps and we have to guess our way there. Maps are vital to a safe evacuation, and I have much to tell you on the topic, but for now have a good road map of your state and the surrounding states. That would be a very good start.

Florida Preppers Network Est. Jan 17, 2009 All contributed articles owned and protected by their respective authors and protected by their copyright. Florida Preppers Network is a trademark protected by American Preppers Network Inc. All rights reserved. No content or articles may be reproduced without explicit written permission.